


reaching for air

by forestnymphs



Category: Game of Thrones (TV)
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-06-17
Updated: 2019-06-22
Packaged: 2020-05-13 11:32:19
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 5
Words: 2,886
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19250347
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/forestnymphs/pseuds/forestnymphs
Summary: Tyrion’s and Sansa’s interaction after season 8 of GoT. Sansa needs an heir or House Stark will possibly go extinct. Sansa hasn’t had a good experience with men before and she’d rather marry someone she trusts and knows.





	1. Sansa I

**Author's Note:**

> ok so  
> 1) english isn’t my first language, so you may think i’ve got narrow vocabulary, but i’ll try my best.  
> 2) i don’t have much experience writing fanfic, but there’s a first time for everything isn’t there !  
> 3) i hope u enjoy it and if u have any criticism or good feedback, please leave it in the comments.

Sansa I

 

Walton Rivers- a balding man with dark brown hair who’s the Queen’s trusted advisor, knocked on the already open door of Sansa Stark’s office. Sansa was writing back to Edmure Tully who congratulated her on becoming Queen in the North. 

 

“Come in,” said Sansa.

“Your Grace, there’s a raven for you from King’s Landing.”

Sansa turned around in surprise. Was it Bran? Walton gave Sansa the letter. It had the Hand of the King’s sigil on it. _Tyrion_. Sansa didn’t want to open it in Walton’s presence. She wanted to do it alone, so she could think better and absorb the emotions which came from it...

She put the letter on the table.

“Is that all?” she asked.

“No, your Grace. I meant to discuss an issue with you.”

“What is it?”

“I was thinking about this the other day and came to a conclusion that you’ll need an heir or House Stark will probably go extinct. I know family is very important to you, so I’m sure you’ll understand. You’re still young and capable to bear many children. By your age, most women have already given birth. That means you’ll have to marry.”

Sansa had thought about it. She didn’t want to marry anytime soon. She didn’t have a good experience with men in the past.

“I’ll see what I can do.” 

Walton gave an affirming nod to that and left. Sansa didn’t feel like she’ll actually do anything so soon. She hadn’t gotten over the experiences with Ramsay Bolton. She was doing better, of course, but she was still broken. She had trust issues and didn’t want to find a new husband soon.

 

Since Walton had left, Sansa had decided to open Tyrion’s letter.

 

_Sansa,_

_I heard you were crowned Queen in the North. I congratulate you for that. You deserve the position._

_The King invites you to the capital to discuss different topics concerning the Six Kingdoms and the North._

_Please send a raven back to me as soon as possible to inform us about your decision._

_Tyrion_

 

The praise of Tyrion Lannister meant a lot to her. She still looked up to him. She also found comfort in the fact that he used her name instead of formalities like ‘your Grace’.

 

Sansa was quick to write him back.

 

_Tyrion,_

_Thank you for the congratulations. It means a lot._

_I will accept your invitation and ride for King’s Landing at the next sunrise. I arrive in a month’s time._

_Sansa_

 

Sansa marked the letter with the direwolf sigil and then gave it to Walton with a bunch of other letters.

 

“Walton,” she said, “could you please inform everyone that I’ll be leaving for King’s Landing at sunrise and you’ll take over my position here while I’m gone.”

Walton frowned, but then said:

“Of course, your Grace.”

 

The next morning, Sansa was ready to step in the carriage to leave Winterfell. She’ll be there in a month and she’ll see people who she holds dear. Bran, Brienne, Tyrion...

 

_Maybe we should’ve stayed married._

 

There’s no more Dragon Queen to divide their loyalties. Only Bran who’s no enemy obviously. If Sansa ought to marry someone, she’d marry one who she trusts. Tyrion’s gentle, clever, kind, and won’t hurt her. She didn’t care much for his looks, though if you don’t count his height, he could be seen as quite attractive.

 

Sansa put aside the thought, so she can think about it more thoroughly in the carriage.


	2. Tyrion I

The letter from Sansa Stark came back two days later Tyrion sent his.

 

Sansa was coming to King’s Landing. He was nervous. He thought about the intimate moments they shared in the crypts. How they were about to die and both afraid to death, but Tyrion managed to comfort Sansa by kissing her hand... 

 

Tyrion had to admit that he did have feelings for her. She was intelligent, beautiful, honest, kind even though she didn’t show the kindness much anymore. She had traded her armour of courtesies to a shield of ice. Underneath that shield, she was still that girl she met in King’s Landing. Under all that protection she was affectionate and empathetic. 

 

Tyrion thought he loved Daenerys. He didn’t. He just wanted to love someone. He didn’t really fall in love. He realised it when he was held captive by her. Tyrion cared about Daenerys, but was it really love? No. Daenerys was a tyrant. She was power hungry, and he should’ve realised it much earlier.

 

With Sansa, Tyrion knew it was love. It was more powerful what he’d ever felt for Daenerys. It was a mixture of caring, admiring and lust. He came to the conclusion that he didn’t deserve to be loved. Every time he loved someone, it was unrequited.

 

————————————————

A carriage was waiting outside the Red Keep. The carriage had direwolf heads carved on it. The moment had come. Sansa Stark had arrived. 

 

The whole small council and the King was waiting to greet her. Sansa stepped out of the carriage wearing a black dress which seemed way too hot for the climate of the capital. Sansa first went to hug the King.

“Bran,” she said. 

“Sansa,” he said in response.

She then nodded to Pod and Brienne with a small smile. And then she looked at Tyrion with the same small smile.

“My lady,” said Tyrion.

“Hello, Tyrion,” she answered back.

Tyrion gave her a smile.

 

A servant then led Sansa to her room.

 

Tyrion saw Sansa a few hours later in the throne room. She was wearing a garment which looked similar what she to what she wore when she lived here. It was green with long sleeves and it hugged her feminine curves perfectly. She was more beautiful than ever. Tyrion realised he was looking at her for far too long, because after a while Sansa returned his look with red flushing on her cheeks.

 

She then walked to the King. 

“How long do you intend staying here?” Bran the Broken asked.

“My people need me, thus I won’t be here for over a week.”

“Alright. We’ll have our meetings with you tomorrow.”

Sansa nodded and walked away to a corner of the throne room. Tyrion felt bold and joined her.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> sorry for the short chapter... since i posted twice a day which i won’t be doing very often i hope you’ll forgive me.


	3. Sansa II

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> another short chapter.... i don’t know if i’ll actually write long chapters, since i update this every day. i hope you’ll like this one though. we’ll see what happens after tyrion approaches sansa.

__

Tyrion walked towards her with a golden goblet of wine with him. He took a sip and started talking:

“How is ruling? I imagine it’s a lot.”

“I try my best.”

Sansa didn’t know if she should still approach him in a cold manner. She had no reason to dislike him, so she asked, trying to seem interested in him too:

“How is being the Hand once again?”

He smiled.

“Oh, quite spectacular. I’ve grown quite fond of the position over the years.”

A moment of silence came after that. Sansa decided to then break the silence and said:

“Would you care to get out of this room considering the masses it holds at the moment?”

“I don’t see why not.”

They walked out of the throne room to a more private room Sansa didn’t recognise. They sat in armchairs near an empty fireplace. For a moment, they were both silent, only Tyrion taking gulps of wine.

 

“How’s the weather in Winterfell?” Tyrion suddenly asked.

Sansa started laughing at that. Tyrion smiled. His effort of small talk was terrible.

“Cold,” she said with a smirk.

“Really?” Tyrion said sarcastically.

Sansa just laughed at that.

“You know, there’s no more Dragon Queen,” said Tyrion after the laughter was gone. 

Sansa knew exactly what he was talking about. She scoffed and said:

“Well I do need to marry someone and produce an heir or House Stark will go extinct.”

“Is Sansa Stark proposing to marry the Imp?” he said laughing, “I’m sure a lot of men would like to put a cloak on your shoulders.”

“I don’t want those men,” she said.

“Better than marrying the Demon Monkey.”

“No, it really isn’t. As I said, you were the best of them.”

Tyrion’s lips formed a slight smile.

“Joffrey was a nightmare, but Ramsay Bolton was even worse,” she said with a knot in her throat.

Tyrion eyes were filled with sympathy. Seeing those eyes made her want to cry even more. Tyrion took her hand and squeezed it. 

“Don’t dwell on the past,” he said.

Sansa looked at him, her eyes blurry from tears she didn’t let out. His eyes were sweet and affectionate. Sansa felt comfort in those same eyes way too many times. Tyrion didn’t know what Ramsay did to her, but he still understood. Tyrion was still holding her hand.

“Do you regret your Queen’s death?” Sansa blurted suddenly out.

“I don’t think she would’ve made a good ruler. Great, but not good. What I saw in her then when I asked to be in her service wasn’t the same thing I saw in her when I left her service. She slaughtered a city. With fire and blood.”

“But do you regret it?”

“I cared about her. Deeply. There was a tinge of regret inside me, but I knew it was the right thing to do.”

He deeply cared about her. Did he love her? Sansa felt jealousy rise in her.

“Did you love her?” Sansa asked suddenly. She instantly regretted it.

“I thought I did. But I didn’t. I just wanted to love, to be loved.”

After another wave of silence, Tyrion said:

“I accept your proposal. If you truly want it which I doubt.”

“What proposal?”

“Remarrying,” he said.

“It’s not what I want,” she answered, “It’s what duty holds.”

Tyrion’s eyes looked down to his now empty wine goblet.

“Love is the death of duty.”

———————————————

Sansa was heading to bed. She plaited her hair and put on her nightgown.

 

_Love is the death of duty._

 

What did he mean with that?

Sansa fell asleep to that thought.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 


	4. Tyrion II

He and Sansa will possibly be married again. Of course only if the King approves from him leaving his position as his Hand.

 

Tyrion didn’t want this marriage to be based on duty. He wanted it to be based on love. Their last marriage was already based on duty.

 

The meeting would take place today. Tyrion already went to the small council table. He sat in his chair waiting for others.

 

Sansa was the first to come in. She was wearing something different from yesterday. This time it was grey, with golden direwolf embroidery. She was wearing her crown as always. 

“My lady,” said Tyrion.

“My lord,” answered Sansa.

She sat to the right where Brandon was meant to sit.

“How did you sleep?” he asked.

“Not great. The beds are harder than I remember.”

Suddenly, the door opened with the rest of the small council flying in. Then came the King and everyone stood up. Pod rolled his wheelchair to the table and then they all sat down.

“Now, let’s start shall we?” said Tyrion.

“What supplies does the North need?” asked Bronn first while yawning.

“It would be great to get more food, since there’s not much to eat with the cold besides game meat,” Sansa answered.

“And what will you give in return?” asked Bronn then.

“Swords and armour. We have fine swordsmiths in the North.”

Bronn wrote that down to the roll of parchment lying in front of him.

Then the King suddenly said:

“Sansa, you’ll need a Hand.”

“But I’ve already got advisors.”

“Advisors who you can’t trust in a couple of years.”

Sansa frowned. 

“You can have Lord Tyrion,” said Bran, “You’ll be marrying him anyway, so what’s the point in keeping him here.”

Everyone exchanged looks. What to say, he’s the Three-Eyed Raven.

Then Tyrion spoke:

“But who will be your Hand, your Grace?”

“Ser Davos. He’s experienced.”

Davos raised his eyebrows in surprise. 

————————————————

After the small council meeting, Tyrion stayed in his chair. Bronn did so too. When everyone else had left, he said:

“So you’re gonna get to fuck the Stark girl for real now.”

Tyrion only gave him a disapproving look.

“What? Isn’t that what you’ve always wanted?”

Tyrion sighed and said:

“She thinks it’s duty. Marrying me.”

“What do you mean?”

“She needs her house to not go extinct. She doesn’t actually want me.”

“You’re in love wi’ her,” Bronn said.

“Quick conclusion,” Tyrion marked.

“No, I mean just by the way you look at her, it’s pretty obvious.”

————————————————

Tyrion knocked on Sansa’s door. What did he hope by doing it? He didn’t know. 

 

Sansa opened the door.

“Would you mind if I come in? I’d like to talk,” he said.

Sansa made a gesture to confirm that he can come in.

Sansa then sat on the bed to be the same height as him.

“I don’t want to get married if it’s only duty for you. I don’t want a marriage where there’s no love. Find someone you’d love, someone your age and attractive,” he said.

Sansa was quiet for a moment until she said:

“I don’t care how old you are or how attractive you are. What I care about is that you’re kind and gentle and brave. I may have said it’s only duty, but truth be told when I think about it I do want you. I want your comfort, your kindness, your happiness, your sorrows.”

Tyrion’s heart was filled with love. He felt blissful. Was that really the truth? He looked at Sansa with a thin smile. Then Sansa leaned closer and locked her lips with his. Tyrion hesitated for a moment but returned the kiss. It was soft and beautiful. Tyrion felt his crotch tingle and prayed Sansa wouldn’t notice. How had he come to deserve this kiss? Sansa then stopped and slightly smirked. 

“I assume that wasn’t duty,” said Tyrion who also smirked.

Sansa smiled to that.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> i loved writing this chapter:) i also thank everyone who has left kudos and comments, they mean a lot.
> 
> edit: i won’t be updating this fanfic today (20th of june) sorry! i’ll probably update this tomorrow or the day after that! i apologies once again, i just won’t have time:(


	5. Sansa III

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> sorry for the delay:( also sorry for the short chapter. ive been quite busy these last days

Sansa Stark kissed Tyrion Lannister, the Imp. She didn’t know what came into her. She felt like it. It was the best kiss she ever had had. She realised that night how much she wanted him. It wasn’t duty. It hadn’t ever been.

Sansa woke up in her bed, alone, fully clothed. She smiled to herself thinking about Tyrion. 

She decided to change her dress since it was cold with sweat since she slept in it. She picked out a beige dress - a dress similar to her favourite dress during her time in King’s Landing.

She decided to go to a walk in the gardens which sometimes were the only beauty in her life while being held hostage. She walked through the rosarium till the violet flowerbeds of forget-me-nots. She filled her lungs with fresh air filled with the scent of flowers. The garden was often the only place in King’s Landing which didn’t stink. She then saw a small statue leaning to read a book on a bench. Tyrion. She walked to him.  
“Tyrion,” she said.  
Tyrion looked up from his book.  
“Oh, Sansa. What brings you here?”  
“The garden is very attractive. Thought I might bring back some of the few good memories I had right in this very garden.”  
“Any memories in specific?” he asked.  
“Before the Red Wedding when we had dinner here together. Your witty little jokes found that slight laughter somewhere inside me.”  
“I enjoyed them too. You were great company, you know,” he said.  
“And I’m not anymore?” she asked playfully.  
“That’s not what I meant, my lady,” he said with a smile, “You’re still marvelous.”  
“And you too, my lord,” said Sansa while smirking.  
Tyrion then looked at her for a while with a smile on his face. Sansa smiled back.  
“What are you reading?” asked Sansa, breaking their moment.  
“Ah, The Life of Grandmaester Olyver. Not the most exciting, but you can learn a thing or two.”  
Sansa never had such excitement towards books like Tyrion had. Sansa did enjoy reading from time to time, but not like Tyrion who could spend the whole day and night reading.  
Tyrion closed his book and asked:  
“Would you care to go for a walk?”  
“I wouldn’t mind, yes.”  
They walked a bit through the same places Sansa had just walked through.  
“Are you very disappointed you’re going to be my Hand?”  
“Not at all. It would be an honour, your Grace.”  
That was the first time Tyrion called Sansa like that.  
“Don’t call me ‘your Grace’. Especially in private. We’re going to marry soon, so there’s no need for such formalities.”  
“I understand,” ejaculated Tyrion.  
“When should we plan the wedding?” he then asked.  
“I think once we arrive to Winterfell we could do it quite soon.”  
“Aren’t we going to Winterfell tomorrow?”  
Sansa then realised how time flied. It was, indeed, time to leave tomorrow.  
“I suppose so,” was all she said.  
————————————————  
Sansa had still till the next dawn until she had to leave for Winterfell. She decided to spend the little time with Bran.  
“How are you, sweet brother?” Sansa asked after getting permission to enter his chambers.  
“I’m good.”  
“Bran, I’m leaving tomorrow,” she said, changing the topic.  
“I know. Take care of Winterfell.”  
She was scared that that was another warning that something might happen.  
“Of course I will.”  
“Tyrion will be a good Hand. Just like he was to me.”  
She smiled. Sansa knew that. He’ll be good to her as a Hand and as a husband. He was good.


End file.
